The Problem with Eavesdropping
by applejacks0808
Summary: After several reliable sources approach him, John Watson learns that Sherlock Holmes has been saying some 'not nice' things... 'Not nice' things about a certain pathologist. However things aren't always what they seem. Now it's up to John to find out the truth, and make a few unexpected discoveries along the way. (Eventual Sherlolly)
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: So this story just sort of happened... Please stick with it, and remember: things aren't always as they seem!**

***Italics refer to a conversation over the phone**

****I do not own Sherlock, but if I did I would be one happy girl! :)**

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><p>Doctor John Watson was fuming. His lovely Sunday morning plans of laying in with his beautiful wife and daughter had been interrupted. Was it an emergency? No. Was it a case? Nope. So why was he traveling across town to Baker Street at this ungodly hour, you might ask… Two words: Sherlock Holmes.<p>

The good doctor remembered the birth of his daughter quite vividly. He stood by Mary's side in that delivery room for all of the fourteen hours it took for Miss Charlotte Watson to arrive. He fed Mary ice chips, wiped her brow, and when the time came he cut the umbilical cord that tethered mother and child. Funny thing though, he didn't remember being present for the birth of the 36 year-old self-proclaimed sociopath who was put into his custody. Why did all the responsibility fall on him? Sure at one point he may have been his 'handler', but for God's sakes he had a wife and a child now! Not to mention, at 36 years of age, the man should be capable of taking care of himself!

Nevertheless, the concern of several people regarding Sherlock's behavior had caught John's attention. Because if Mike Stamford, Greg Lestrade, and Mrs. Hudson all said something was wrong, then chances were that it was true. It wasn't that Sherlock never behaved strangely, because that _was_ his default setting, it was his erratic moods that wreaked havoc on those around him. But lately, according to his reliable sources, those volatile mood swings seemed to be centered on one person in particular; everybody's favorite pathologist: Doctor Molly Hooper.

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><p>The first incident occurred two weeks ago. Saddled with the responsibilities of fatherhood, John wasn't always available to help out on cases. But somehow on this day the stars aligned, the case was a possible eight or higher, and Mary gave her consent, allowing him several hours of freedom to assist his best friend. While Sherlock and Molly discussed the deterioration of the victim's flesh (not John's area), he used the time to catch up with his friend Dr. Stamford. After getting all the formalities out of the way, (John being a new father, Mike considering an early-retirement), Mike asked a serious question. "Have you noticed that Sherlock seems a lot more aggravated lately?"<p>

John chuckled. "Sherlock is always aggravated, how can you tell?" When Mike furrowed his brows, John began to understand the severity of the situation and stiffened. "What has Sherlock done now?"

Mike took off his glass to clean the lenses. "Well he'll be fine one minute, and irate the next. Now he's never behaved rudely with me, no more than usual that is. But it does seem that most of the time, Molly is at the receiving end of his wrath."

Oh this was serious indeed. Sherlock had a tendency of lashing out, however it was painful to think that Molly was his victim of choice. To this day he still felt incredibly guilty about that one Christmas party where Sherlock deduced her (incorrectly for that matter) and absolutely ripped her apart. John sighed before he asked, "What has he said to her?"

Notably becoming more and more uncomfortable, Mike asked him to come to his office so they could talk more freely. Once he shut the door, he began to pour out all of Sherlock's indiscretions.

"Three days ago I overheard him telling Molly that she should consider getting a tan. The insult being that the other pathologist might mistake her for a corpse and autopsy her instead. Another instance I heard him expressing his dislike of ponytails, the gist of the comment was that she resembled a horse. The worst one was a comment he made about her clothes," John sucked in air and balled his fists while Mike continued. "Yeah he asked her to put her lab coat back on, as her sweater was 'atrocious' and 'made him physically ill," he said adding air quotes to further make his point. "I had just walked in, but I heard enough! She ran past me covering her face and hid in the storage closet. I swear I heard whimpering too."

"I hate to bother you with this, but I wouldn't even know how to bring this up to him. So I was hoping that you would talk to him. These insults might not seem that bad, but Molly is so sweet and sensitive that this could easily break her. And as much as I appreciate Sherlock's work, I will not allow him to run off one of the best doctors I've had the pleasure of working with. If that means taking away his privileges here at Bart's, then so be it."

John silently nodded, "I completely agree with you. I don't know why he continues to pick on Molly, I mean everyone knows how she feels for him. But rest assure Mike, I will talk to him."

"Thanks John, can't tell you how much I appreciate it!" The two doctors shook hands and walked back to the morgue, where Sherlock and Molly's disgusting conversation was finally dying down. Before John could rejoin his friend he received a call from his wife, asking him to pick up some things they needed for Charlotte. Since Sherlock doesn't 'do shopping' and finds it 'boring,' John and the consulting detective went their separate ways. It was only when John tucked in Baby Charlotte later that night he remembered that he never did have that conversation with Sherlock.

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><p>The next incident occurred ten days after his discussion with Dr. Stamford. John had been sent home from the clinic due to a bad case of the stomach flu. He had asked that Mary take his phone and keep it away from the bedroom where he was laid up. The excuse he gave was that he didn't want to be disturbed, however the real reason was that he was worried Sherlock would use his magical methods, deduce he was home, and insist that he join him on a case. After a few hours of rest he regained a bit of his strength, and felt confident enough to walk in to the kitchen. There on the counter he saw his mobile notifying him of three missed calls and several unanswered text messages; all of which came from Detective Inspector Greg Lestrade.<p>

John hesitantly read the first message, and sighed deeply.

**_(14:37) Your friend is an annoying git! You can tell him I said that- GL_**

**_(15:22) John you need to talk to him. He is out of control- GL_**

**_(15:30) Let him know that if I ever hear him talking like that to Molly Hooper again I will deny him access to cases… After I beat the shit out of him- GL_**

At the mention of Molly Hooper's name, John no longer felt it necessary to continue reading the message. He opted to call instead.

"Hey Greg, I saw that I missed your call. Sorry about that, been sick. What's going on?" John could hear the weary sigh on the other line.

_"No problem. Just got into a tussle with the arsehole supreme himself."_

"What did he do to Molly Hooper?"

_"Oh you mean aside from humiliate the poor girl?"_ The detective inspector then released a string of curse words aimed towards Sherlock, some of which the ex-army captain had never heard of.

_"Well we fished a body out of the Thames earlier today and had it brought to Bart's, just like I always do. I called Sherlock in to help identify the victim, but he wasn't answering. I tried you too, didn't know you were sick. Sorry mate."_ John hummed in acknowledgment and encouraged him to continue.

_"So I head to the morgue and see it all locked up. I figured Molly was probably eating lunch at the hospital canteen so I decided to head up, get myself a cup of coffee, and wait for her to finish. As I get there I see that Molly was sitting with Sherlock. I thought it was weird, I mean he's not working on any cases (well not mine at least), so that begs the question, why was he already there waiting with Molly?"_

Greg took a deep breath in. _"I approached their table just as Sherlock said, 'You should really watch what you're eating Molly. It's taking its toll on you!' Can you believe that, who says that? To a woman, no less! Even he has to know that that wasn't good!"_

John was fighting the bile threatening to come up. Whether it was from the flu or the audacity of his friend's words was undecided. "So what did Molly do?"

_"At first she sat there, shocked I suppose. It wasn't until I touched her shoulder that she looked up and covered her face. All I could understand was her asking over and over, 'Am I fat? Am I ugly?' Damn sight broke my heart. Finally she dropped her plate on the floor before muttering something about not being able to eat anymore. And then she ran out."_

After a few minutes of silence, John was able to mutter his next question. "How is she doing?"

_"Ugh, I don't know John. I tried to follow her out but she was too quick. Besides I had my hands full with Sherlock. He just sat there blinking at me, pretending not to understand how he offended her! And apparently I wasn't the only one who heard the exchange; if I hadn't gotten him out of there I am pretty sure there would have been a riot. The staff was pretty pissed!"_

A brief smile spread on John's face as he pictured doctors and nurses beating up the git. "Serves him right. Well Greg, you are not the first to notice this behavior. Mike Stamford told me that he's been having trouble getting along with Molly. Which is completely idiotic! She's the most pleasant person we know."

Greg scoffed, _"Yeah and then calling her fat! Molly Hooper fat? That's ridiculous! We certainly got a good look at her that Christmas, to know that girl is anything but fat. There are times that I dream about her wearing that dress-"_

Fearing the conversation was treading dangerous waters, John decided to cut him off. "Sorry Greg, I think that's Charlotte crying, waking up from her nap. I'm going to talk to him… Please hold off on beating him up, or at least let me get a few shots in first!"

The Detective Inspector chuckled, _"No promises mate! Just tell him that if he continues this behavior I won't work with him anymore. It took a lot of convincing before my bosses let me consult with Sherlock again after his 'fake death,'"_ he added the last part bitterly. _"Aside from the fact that Scotland Yard has a working professional relationship with Bart's, Molly is my friend. And she doesn't deserve that."_

A few more words were spoken before the two men hung up. This was a lot more serious that John thought. Sherlock's work was everything to him, and now Bart's and Scotland Yard had threatened to stop working with him. And why? Because he didn't know how to behave around a nice girl? It was stupid!

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><p>When Sherlock had returned after his two year mission, he came back a changed man. Occasionally he still had trouble with social niceties, but he was much more tolerable and tolerant of others. John was nowhere nearly as skilled in the powers of observation as the consulting detective was, but he wasn't blind either. Surely he would have noticed if Sherlock had a problem with Molly. He wasn't around as much anymore, but had he become so absorbed with his own family that he left his best friend behind? Was Sherlock reverting back to his old ways, back when he refused to care for others?<p>

The guilt was crushing his soul. John and Mary had made a point of inviting him over often, but Sherlock always claimed to be working a case or performing an experiment. Other times he was with Molly. When he found out that they were often in each other's company John stopped worrying; he was glad that his friend wasn't alone. However had he known that his friend was mistreating and abusing the kind pathologist, he definitely would have put an end to it! As a matter of fact…

"I'm gonna fix this," he declared with determination. His first order of action was to talk to Molly. He quickly dialed her number, unconcerned with the time of night.

_"Um… Hello?"_

"Hey Molls, it's me John. How are you?"

_"Oh John? Um- I'm good I guess. And you?"_

"Good, good. Listen, I was calling to check on you. I heard about what Sherlock did, and I-"

Before he could finish, Molly interrupted. _"Look it's not a big deal. It was just Sherlock being Sherlock."_

"Molly, this is not okay! He shouldn't talk to you like that; especially after all you do for him!"

John cringed when he heard her stifle a sob. _"I know, I know. But I've accepted the fact that things won't change. And it's alright."_

"Well I won't accept it, and neither should you! Actually, I will go over tomorrow and have a discussion with the arsehole myself!"

_"[Molly sniffled over the phone] Please John don't! I know you mean well, but just leave it be. I'm fine, really! I have to go, John. Give Mary and the baby my love. Bye!"_

Molly hung up without giving him a chance to say goodbye. She couldn't even carry a _conversation_ about Sherlock without being reduced to tears. Oh this was bad, definitely bad. Looking at the time on the phone display, he decided to go to bed. Despite her protestations, he was still going to have a talk with his friend. "Tomorrow afternoon," he decided, "I'll set him straight once and for all!"

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><p>After the last bout of nausea rolled around, John made it into bed. He had been in bed for two hours when his mobile began to ring. Grumpily, he reached over to his bedside table to get his phone.<p>

"John, who is it?" Mary asked, still half asleep.

John groaned, "It's Mrs. Hudson. Why would she call me at six in the morning? Go back to sleep love, I'll take this in the other room." He leaned over and kissed her cheek quickly and walked into the living room to answer.

"Hello?"

Mrs. Hudson sounded panicked on the other end of the line. _"Oh John, thank heavens you answered! I am sorry to call you so early, but I don't know what to do anymore!"_

A number of scenarios ran through his mind. An intruder? Moriarty? Sherlock on drugs? Before his mind could get the better of him, he asked, "What happened Mrs. Hudson?"

_"It's Sherlock! He spent most of the night stomping around the flat, but about an hour ago was when the shouting began!"_

He knew he was being petulant, but it was 6 a.m. so no one could blame him for being slightly on edge. "He always shouts. What's the problem?"

His former landlady sighed, _"Well the only other person up there is Molly Hooper…"_

John shut his eyes and counted to ten. "I am on my way."

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><p>John was so caught up in his rage that the cabbie had to yell to get his attention. "We are here sir!" Throwing a few bills at the driver, John muttered his thanks and walked towards his former residence.<p>

As soon as he made it inside he heard the thunderous baritone waft its way down the stairs…

"MOLLY HOOPER WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"

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><p><strong>End Notes: I know it sounds pretty bad for our Molly, but it does get better. I already have the next chapters ready and will post them soon. Please take a few seconds to review, it truly makes my day! :)<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews and the follows! You guys are amazing... Here's Chapter 2, there will probably be one more. I hope you enjoy, I was a little unsure about this one! :)**

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><p>"MOLLY HOOPER WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?"<p>

The weight of those words made the soldier in John want to attack! He started to climb the stairs when he heard a quiet, meek voice begin to talk.

"I [sniffle]… I am [sob]… I'm sorry," Molly said breathlessly.

From the bottom of the stairs, John could hear Sherlock scoff. "No you are not sorry! You know how I know that? Hmm?" His voice was booming now. "I know because YOU ALWAYS DO THIS! DO YOU ENJOY SEEING ME GET MAD?"

The declaration was followed by a series of gasps for air and a loud **THUMP**, sounding akin to something heavy falling. Perhaps a person? More specifically, a tiny pathologist?

John bounded up the stairs to interrupt whatever was going on in the consulting detective's flat. Sherlock did many questionable things, but never did he think that he was capable physically hurting a woman. Well a woman who didn't have it coming…

Ramming the front door open, John was confused by the scene in front of him. Sherlock was standing in the kitchen sipping his tea, while Molly was writhing on the living room floor… laughing hysterically.

Both occupants of the flat turned to look at the intruder (John); one looked confused (Sherlock) while the other began to laugh harder, rolling around like a lunatic (Molly).

"Hello John, what are you doing here?" Sherlock asked calmly.

Still a bit baffled, John proceeded cautiously. "Um Mrs. Hudson called. She was concerned…"

Sherlock turned to look at Molly who was still unable to compose herself. "This is your fault you know. I told you that you were being too loud!"

"Actually," John interrupted, "the complaint was that _you_ were stomping around and yelling."

With his tea in hand, Sherlock stepped over Molly who was still on the floor and made his way to sit down on the sofa. "I always stomp and yell. Nothing new there. So what's with the dramatic entrance?"

John followed his friend's example and joined him on the sofa. "Well Mrs. Hudson said that you were yelling at Molly, and given your past history, I thought it was a good idea to come and stop you!"

Molly rolled over on her side to face the two men on the couch. "You came to check on me?" she asked quietly. John nodded his head. She released a few residual giggles and continued, "That's very sweet John, but I told you last night that I was fine."

John shifted in his seat, beginning to feel a bit silly. "When you said you were fine, I thought you were being wilful and protecting Sherlock. And just now, I heard him shout at you and then you fell. I thought you might be hurt! I was concerned!"

Molly wide eyes stared at John for a moment before she turned to look at Sherlock. Gigantic grins spread their faces before the two collapsed in a fit of laughter.

Feeling a little left out, John's annoyance began to grow. Not only was he not feeling well, but he was dragged out of bed early in the morning! All this, only to be mocked?

Furiously John stood up, and with his most authoritative glare motioned Molly to join Sherlock on the couch. Once she sat down, he moved his chair so that he was seated right in front of them.

"Now," he began with clenched teeth, "I demand to know what the hell is going on!"

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><p><strong><em>Three months earlier…<em>**

"Um Sherlock," Molly said as she put a hand on his chest, "can we stop for a moment?"

"What? What's wrong?" he asked nervously. Molly took a second to appreciate his appearance. Swollen lips, flushed cheeks, dilated pupils, and messy hair; it was a treat to see him looking so disheveled. Especially since she was the cause of it.

"It's not that I don't like snogging you, because believe me I do! But I'm having a little bit of trouble understanding what's going on…"

Sherlock eased himself off of her and took his seat on the couch. "What do you mean you don't understand what's going on? We were kissing, quite passionately I might add, and then you asked me to stop. So if that's all, we can continue-" He repositioned himself above Molly, however she was quicker and rolled herself off the couch to avoid his advances.

"Yes I know that! But what does it mean? For us-" she bit her lower lip and looked up at him.

With one large sigh, Sherlock sat back down. _No more kissing tonight_, he frowned. "Molly, I told you that I have feelings for you, which you reciprocate. Right?" Molly nodded. "Okay, good. As you know, I am not well-versed in these things, but I think that means that we are together. A couple. Does that sound like a feasible conclusion to you?"

Molly had to fight the urge to squeal. '_Play it cool, Hooper!'_

She moved over to join Sherlock on the couch again. "Yes Mr. Holmes, that sounds very feasible!" He looked at her shyly and reached for her hand. As she interlaced them she asked, "A couple, huh? So when should we tell our friends?"

Gently kissing the hand that was entwined with his, he shrugged. "Actually, I think it would be fun to see how long it takes them to figure it out!"

"Sherlock Holmes! That is a cruel thing to do to your friends! Don't you think they'll get mad?"

"Hmm? Nah! They all love me too much to get mad at me. It's their weakness, to be perfectly honest." He replied confidently.

Molly shook her head in disbelief. "That's smart; telling the woman you've just entered into a relationship with that 'love is a weakness.' Nice… So you really think they won't get mad, do you?"

Sensing the challenge, Sherlock grinned. "Of course I do, and as you know, I am always right!"

She smiled at him mischievously, "Oh Sherlock, you shouldn't have said that!" He turned his head to look at her, feeling a little bit of- what was that?- dread in the pit of his stomach. "Why?"

"Let's just say that until you decide to share the news with our friends, I will be making your life difficult."

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><p>John pressed his lips together while he eyed his two friends. "Okay so ignoring the fact that you two have been lying to me for the past three months- which we will be discussing by the way!- how exactly did Molly make your life difficult?"<p>

Sherlock rolled his eyes. "It's little things she does to annoy me!" Molly snorted making John turn and glare at her.

"Alright Sherlock, how does she annoy you?" he bit out sarcastically.

"Well like right before you came in, we were playing chess. But she wasn't playing correctly! I must have explained the rules to her a hundred times John!"

John took a deep breath in, "Really? You are mad because she doesn't play a game correctly? Don't you think that's just a little ridiculous?"

The detective crossed his arms and pouted. "No! She does this all the time. Every time she moves a piece she shouts "Chess" like she's winning. And it's not just chess. Last time we were playing dominoes, and every time she put down the domino she yelled "Domino." The same thing happened with 'Operation'…"

Perhaps if he had been in a better mood John would have found Molly's antics hilarious. He was the first to admit that pressing Sherlock's buttons was occasionally fun.

He rubbed his hands over his face. "I have to be honest with you, what you just described doesn't sound like she's being 'difficult'. _You_ are being over-dramatic." John stood up and began to pace. Gradually all the events of the past few weeks came to mind.

"Wait!" He abruptly stopped his pacing. "You dick! You complain about Molly, but what about you? You are no saint! What do you have to say about that?"

Sherlock furrowed his brow. "Of course I'm not a saint. It is not a secret." He turned to look at Molly, who shrugged her shoulders in response.

"No, no don't do that Sherlock. Don't play innocent, it is not a good look on you. How do you explain the way you've been treating Molly?"

"Well John, I think she'd agree that I've been treating her pretty good. Wouldn't you say?" Sherlock smirked and turned to the blushing woman.

John grimaced, "I- I don't need to know any of that. I'm talking about the way you speak to her. The things you've said to her are 'not good' mate!"

It was Sherlock's turn to scowl. "What things?" He asked indignantly.

"I've heard from reliable sources that the things you say are extremely hurtful! I've also heard that on several instances _you_ were the cause of her fleeing a room in tears!"

Sherlock was used to being accused of many things. But he had taken great strides in being kinder and gentler to Molly. He was proud of his transformation, and he was not going to let John Watson belittle his progress!

"What the hell John?! Who said all this?" Sherlock yelled as he rose to his feet.

John inched his way towards his friend until he came toe-to-toe with the man. "Let's see I've received word from Mike Stamford, Greg Lestrade, and Mrs. Hudson. Now I suppose you'll tell me that they are all lying!"

Sherlock backed away at the harshness of his tone. He turned back to look at Molly, silently asking for her help in the matter. Molly stood up and walked over to Sherlock's side as a sign of solidarity. Slowly she wrapped her arms around herself and scrunched her face. "Actually, I think I can explain that…" she quietly admitted.

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><p>Molly soon realized that this was not a one-off. While he was never one to be affectionate in public, he was incredibly sweet in their private moments. Not to mention it was the best sex of her life! It was becoming more and more difficult to hide the truth from their friends. And all the love bites he liked to leave as reminders of their shared passion was not helping; it was almost like he was taunting them. If he could be devious, then so could she!<p>

Phase one of "Operation: Make Sherlock's Life Difficult," as Molly had dubbed it, had been successful. When their mutual love for board games was revealed, she saw an opportunity; and what started as simple entertainment, evolved into a therapeutic pastime. During their game sessions, she would yell out random words, blatantly disregard the rules, and steal his game pieces. Knowing that he was extremely competitive, and not one to suffer fools quietly, she wanted to see how long it would take to break him. Surprisingly it took longer than expected.

Six weeks into their relationship to be exact.

At first when she would make a mistake, he would patiently explain the rules and let her try again. When he caught her taking his game pieces, he kindly reminded her that those belonged to him, and that her pieces were right next to her. It was the yelling that finally did him in.

"Molly stop that yelling!" He said raising his voice slightly. "Sherlock, if I don't yell, how will we know who is winning?" she asked innocently.

"What?! THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE!"

It took the detective longer than he was proud to admit before he figured out what she was doing.

After Sherlock accosted her in the linen closet of the Watson's home for a 'quickie', she decided it was time to step up the game. Phase two of "Operation: M.S.L.D." was a little messier. But she figured that the faster Sherlock would break, the faster they could come clean to their friends. And… well if she was being honest, it was fun messing with him.

She thought back to the time before his 'suicide.' Those had not been happy times, but then again they wouldn't be where they were now if they hadn't survived that. He had used her and manipulated her, and his friends had always reprimanded him for it.

So if she was going to draw their attention to them, what better way than to pretend he was hurling insults at her again.

She started off small; doing little things to provoke him. One day while Sherlock was using the microscope, she began to swing her ponytail. With the bounce of each step, she allowed her ponytail to gain momentum until he had to say something.

Looking up from his work, he stared at her. "Molly, what are you doing?"

"Huh?" She murmured. Sherlock rolled his eyes, "Why are you walking like that?"

Molly opened her eyes widely in fake astonishment. "Oh that, well I like how my ponytail feels when it swings back and forth!" She added a big smile to really sell it.

Sherlock snickered. "Yeah well you should stop. You look like a horse." Molly had to leave the room to keep from laughing, passing Dr. Stamford in the hall.

A few days later she decided it was time to show off her latest purchase: a swirly, polka-dotted, rainbow colored monstrosity of a jumper. Sure she got a few looks from people in the store, but she was positive that Sherlock's face would be priceless. She arrived at her office, pleased to see that Sherlock was already there. She made a big show of removing her coat to reveal her brand new jumper; though she was facing the other way, she was pretty sure she heard him suck in some air. She walked over and gave him a quick kiss, which he happily accepted.

"So what do you think?" she asked cheerfully. Sherlock did everything in his power to avoid her gaze. "Hmm."

"Yeah it's brand new," she continued, even though he hadn't asked. "You know why I like it? Because when I move and twirl around, it's like the pattern comes to life. Look watch me!"

Molly then proceeded to twirl and squirm her way in the tiny office. It took a few minutes for Sherlock to understand that she was clearly trying to get a reaction out of him.

Coolly, he sat back in the chair and quirked his lips. "That's enough of that, go put on you lab coat. That jumper is truly atrocious Molly. In fact, I think I might just get seasick if I have to watch you prance around the lab _in that_ the rest of the day!" He spit out the last words just as Mike walked in. Afraid that he had caught her dancing around her office instead of working, she blushed and made her excuses as she ran to the lab. It was only when she was alone that she allowed the giggles to spill.

It wasn't easy, and she wanted to give up many times. Especially when he was so sweet to her. Had someone told her all those years ago that Sherlock would call her every night to wish her goodnight, or that he liked to spend all day cuddling with her, she would have called that person a big fat liar!

As a matter of fact, she was prepared to call it quits when she overheard John and Mike Stamford talking.

With new founded determination, she decided it was all or nothing!

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><p><strong>End Notes: Some of you guessed it, I hope the rest of you were surprised. I believe that Molly is really playful and likes to make Sherlock uncomfortable based on what we've seen in Series 3 (The snickering at Shilcott's flat, and the "we're having quite a lot of sex" comment"). And in case it wasn't clear, the sniffles and sobs are her laughing... Speaking from experience, my laugh sounds like I'm crying. It leads to a lot of misunderstandings!<strong>

Please review! They make my day! :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Here's the final chapter. Thanks for the feedback! I like protective John too, and now that he's a dad (with a daughter) I'm sure he'll be super protective of the women in his life. I hope you all enjoy! :)**

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><p>The ex-soldier, the consulting detective, and the sneaky pathologist sat around the kitchen table. John wanted to keep his stoic features in place, but was having difficulties. He was impressed with Molly. Truth be told, he didn't think she was capable of doing something so devious. He always believed her to be passive and fragile; someone who needed to be protected.<p>

Boy was he wrong! She could hold her own, and this girl was going to give his friend a run for his money. Finally he gave in and cracked a smile.

"Alright, that explains what Mike overheard. What about Greg?"

Sherlock leaned forward in his seat. "Who?"

Both Molly and John rolled their eyes before replying, "Lestrade!" at the same time.

She looked over at John to answer his question. "Oh that was a happy coincidence," she beamed brightly.

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><p>Molly decided to go into work earlier than her scheduled time in order to finish some of her lab work from the previous day. It wasn't often that she left work unfinished, but her favorite 'sociopath' had been pestering her to finish quickly so that she could join him for dinner. She stood her ground for a while… that is until he started peppering her neck with soft kisses. Then her resolve pretty much vanished.<p>

So now here she was, staring at a large mountain of paperwork, and it wasn't even 7 a.m. yet. "This calls for some caffeinated deliciousness," she mused out loud as she made her way to the canteen. A few hours- and several cups of coffee- later, her favorite tall-dark-handsome man strolled in. Making his way over to her, he leaned over and planted a passionate kiss on her lips before straightening up.

"How are you this morning, beautiful?" he whispered to her. And dammit, if she didn't blush!

"Hmm, tired naturally. Someone kept me up late," she responded coyly.

This earned a deep chuckle, "Well I didn't hear any complaints at the time…"

Molly felt the blood rush to her face again as she playfully swatted his arm and returned to her work. "Sherlock, what are you doing here? Did you come to harass me again?"

Sherlock huffed in false incredulity. "I never bother you, I came by to drop this off. But if you don't want it-"

She turned to look at what he had behind his back. He placed a large cup of coffee and a wrapped blueberry muffin directly in front of her. "Oh my favorite!" Molly squealed as she enveloped Sherlock in a hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she murmured in his ear.

He pulled back slowly, and kissed her again softly. "It was the least I could do," he smirked. "I have some samples I need to check on, so I'll be hanging around here today. Is that okay?"

Molly smiled up at him, "As long as you don't distract me like you did yesterday, you can stay as long as you like!"

The two worked in companionable silence the rest of the morning, only stopping to discuss results or a share brief kiss every so often. It wasn't until Molly's stomach began to growl that Sherlock put away his work to come sit by her. Prying the pen out of her hand, he grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her up.

"Come on, let's go get you lunch! I could hear you stomach from where I was sitting."

She patted her tummy and nodded in agreement, "Yeah all I've had today is the muffin you brought me and about five cups of coffee."

Sherlock narrowed his eyes, "Molly that's a lot of sugar!" She shrugged her shoulders and led the way out of the lab.

They reached the canteen and stood in line to get their food; Molly opting for the pasta while Sherlock grabbed an apple. On their way to the table, she stopped to get herself another cup of coffee.

"Molly…" Sherlock said in a warning tone. "What?" she huffed before taking her seat.

"Drinking that much coffee isn't healthy for you!" She could see that he was concerned, but the irony didn't escape her. It mildly irked her.

She cackled until she felt his glare on her. "That's rich, Sherlock. You lecturing me on eating healthy. Not only do you go _days_ without eating, but you smoke like a chimney- don't think I can't smell it on you! And you drink just as much coffee as I do, maybe even more."

Molly paused and gave him a warm smile. "Besides I don't do this all the time. Just today… I really need the energy!"

He returned her smile and took a bite out of his apple. "You know too much caffeine will have the opposite effect on you. Soon your energy level will 'crash,' causing you to intake more sugar in an attempt to get energy again… it's entirely redundant! And then there's the caffeine withdrawals…"

She sighed and cocked her head. "Yes love, I know. I am doctor after all."

He reached over and brushed his thumb over her knuckles. "I know you're a doctor. But obviously you need me to remind you to take care of yourself. I do it because I care!"

Sherlock looked around the canteen and noted that much of the staff was pouring in for their lunch hour. Not wishing to attract attention at the display of affection, he withdrew his hand. He adjusted his posture before he continued in a cool calculated tone, "You should really watch what you're eating Molly. It's taking its toll on you."

Molly was unaware that their conversation was overheard by anyone- until she heard several people around her table gasp.

She turned to peek at the nosey folks taking an interest in their _private_ conversation, and was surprised to see D.I. Greg Lestrade gaping at the two of them. _'Perfect!'_ she thought as she quickly planned her next move.

It wasn't until Molly felt a hand on her shoulder that she spurred into action. In an attempt to hide the fact that she was smiling, she went to cover her face. The giggles began to overtake her body so she chose to use that to her advantage. Hoping that the few giggles that escaped could be played off as sobs, she began to mumble incoherent phrases.

"Am I fat? [sob] Am I ugly? [sob and sniffle] This is why I can't eat in front of you! [wail]…"

She took a moment to glimpse at Sherlock and saw that he was starting at her confused, and if she wasn't mistaken a little embarrassed.

_'Okay Hooper, bring it home!'_

She threw her the rest of her- frankly disgusting- pasta on the floor, shook herself free from Greg's grasp, and ran out of the canteen.

When she turned around, she saw many of Bart's employees and one angry D.I. glaring at the famous detective. He, however, ignored their stares and glared at her in return. With one last look she waved at him, blew a kiss, before skipping down the hallway back to the lab.

An hour later, she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She took it out and smiled at the message.

**_(13:30) Alright Dr. Hooper, you've made you point. We will tell our friends about our relationship. I surrender- SH_**

**_(13:31) But be prepared to make it up to me. Thanks to your little stunt, I barely escaped with my life- SH_**

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><p>By the time Molly finished retelling the story, Sherlock was pouting again and John was wiping tears from his eyes.<p>

"Christ Molly… That was the funniest thing I have ever heard! I seriously underestimated you!"

Molly smiled sweetly. "Yup I get that a lot."

Sherlock grunted as he stood up and walked away from the table. "If you two are finished, I would like to go back to enjoying my morning in peace."

John and Molly looked at one another and tried to hide their huge grins, which only upset Sherlock more.

A moment later Molly walked up to Sherlock and wrapped her arms around his waist, effectively burying her face in his chest. In turn he ran his hands up her arms, gradually hugging her shoulders and resting his cheek on her head. The two stood there locked in an embrace, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

John took a second appreciate the sight before him. Yes it was weird to see Sherlock in the arms of a woman, Molly Hooper no less, but somehow it felt right. After all, she was the one who he went to when he could trust no one else. She was the keeper of his secrets, his occasional physician, and his safe harbor. If Sherlock Holmes was ever to be romantically involved with anyone (not case related), of course it made sense that it would be Molly.

"So are you mad at us?" Sherlock asked cautiously, still holding onto Molly.

John smiled, "I'm a little annoyed you didn't tell me sooner. But I am glad that you two are together. I think you're perfect for each other."

Molly turned her face away from Sherlock's chest to look at John. "Yes, well we seem to think so." She tilted her chin up to glance at Sherlock. He quickly kissed her forehead before tightening his embrace.

Suddenly feeling like he was intruding on a private moment, John stood up and made his way to where his coat hung. He was happy for them, but there was still one question he needed answered.

Clearing his throat, John asked. "Consequently, when were you planning on telling me?"

Sherlock grinned. "Today actually. It's only logical we tell you now since Molly will be living here as of tomorrow. Coincidentally, do you think you can help with the move?"

The good doctor gawked at his friend. "So Molly is moving in here?"

"Well if we are to be married, then we should probably live together. Husbands and wives typically share a home," Sherlock added sarcastically.

"Oh, so now you two are getting married?"

"Of course John, do keep up. When our child arrives in a few months, it is best that we, as parents, are joined in a lifelong bond." Sherlock glanced down at the woman in his arms, "Perhaps we should get married soon then, don't you think?"

Molly giggled. "Sure love," she mumbled against his lips, her hands caressing his back.

Perhaps life didn't happen exactly the way she had expected. However after reading the positive results of the pregnancy test and agreeing to share her life with someone (physically and legally) the night before, she realized she was more than happy for the way things were. After seven years of loving the man, Molly was ready to start a life- and family- with Sherlock Holmes.

She broke away from her 'future husband' and noticed that John Watson was frozen in his spot by the coat rack. "Um… Sherlock, I think you broke John."

Sherlock stepped out of the kitchen to take a look at his best friend. "Hmm, that's a shame." He spun around to look at the mother of his unborn child and smiled at her mischievously. "Do you think now is a good time to ask him if he'll be my best man?"

~The End~

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><p><strong>End notes: Thank you again for reading and reviewing! You guys encouraged me to keep writing, so I hope to post more stories in the future. Please let me know what you all thought. I am also open to ideas and suggestions for future stories! :)<strong>


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